


Unexpected

by yuletide_archivist



Category: The Tillerman Cycle - Cynthia Voigt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-12-22
Updated: 2005-12-22
Packaged: 2018-01-25 01:47:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1625036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yuletide_archivist/pseuds/yuletide_archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An unexpected visit from Mina brings her and Maybeth closer in ways neither ever imagined.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Unexpected

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Jane Carnall

 

 

"Unexpected"  
by Sara Jaye

[The song in this story is "Long Ago and Far Away" by James Taylor, all rights reserved.]

~

Many things in life happen for a reason. Some things happen because they were supposed to, because destiny dictated them. Others happened because you made them happen.

Then, there were the things that you couldn't explain if you tried. All you knew was that in a single moment, everything changed and you still didn't know why even after the fact.

It all happened one afternoon at the Tillerman household.

Dicey had just gone back to school after spending the weekend with the family. Gram was at the market, and James and Sammy had gone to visit their friends.

Maybeth sat at the piano, completely focused on the song she was playing, grateful for the silence.

It wasn't that she minded the others being there when she practiced; it was almost impossible to distract her when she was playing her music. But sometimes it was nice to know she had complete peace and quiet. At times like these, she could really lose herself in the music, as if nothing else existed.

Unfortunately, it wasn't to last.

There was a knock at the door, and Maybeth sighed as she was jarred from her reverie. She stopped playing, stood up, and stretched a little as she went to answer the door.

"Who is it?"

"It's Mina!"

"Dicey's not here," Maybeth said. Willhemina Smiths had been Dicey's friend since their junior high days. Her loud, boisterous personality had always intimidated Maybeth.

"I know! I came to see if Sammy wanted to play a game of tennis," Mina said.

"He's not here, either," Maybeth said.

"Oh."

Maybeth bit her lip.

"Would you like to come in anyway?" she found herself asking. It only seemed like the polite thing to do.

"Well, if you're not busy, sure," Mina said. Maybeth opened the door, and Mina immediately headed for the sofa, putting her tennis racket down. "So, how's everything? You still playing the piano?" she said, trying to make conversation.

"Yes...in fact, I was practicing a new song before you came over," Maybeth said.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to interrupt!" Mina apologized. "I'll just leave, then."

"N-no!" Maybeth blushed. "I didn't mean to sound rude, I'm sorry," she said.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to hear this song," Mina said. Maybeth brightened.

"All right!" She sat down at the piano and began to play the melody from the beginning.

It was a light, yet soulful melody that seemed to wrap itself around Mina's senses, pulling her in. She found herself hanging onto every note, feeling their strength.

Strength...Maybeth, on first glance, didn't seem like a very strong person. Quiet, submissive, never wanted to make waves or create a scene. Content to stay in the background.

All of that seemed to fade when Maybeth sat at the piano bench. Her fingers danced over the keys, the music pouring from her soul...almost as if she was speaking through her music.

Mina barely noticed when the song ended, Maybeth standing up and smiling.

"What did you think?" she asked.

"Wow," Mina breathed. "That was gorgeous! The tune sounded a little familiar, even...but I don't remember where I might've heard it."

"It's 'Long Ago and Far Away'," Maybeth said.

"Oh, no wonder! I remember Jeff playing that on his guitar once, but that was a few years ago...it sounds so different on the piano," Mina said. "But it's still very nice."

Maybeth smiled.

"Would you like me to play it again? Maybe this time you could sing along with me," she offered.

"Sure!"

The melody began anew, this time accompanied by Mina's rich, velvety singing. Maybeth had to admit it was more fun playing with someone accompanying her, be it on a guitar or with their voice.

"It's such a sad song, isn't it?" Maybeth commented after they'd finished.

"I dunno, even if the words are kind of sad, it feels kind of peaceful and optimistic," Mina said. "Even with all the sad stuff going on, the guy's still dreaming and thinking of beautiful things."

"I never really thought about it that way," Maybeth mused. "But he can't be that happy if he's thinking of such sad things."

"Unless the sad things are happening to other people. I think the man himself is living a happy life, while thinking about other people's sorrows," Mina said, sitting down on the bench and studying the lyrics sheet.

"That's true." Maybeth leaned in to glance at the words herself. "It's funny how a simple song can make you think so much, isn't it?"

"Maybe that's what the writer was going for when he wrote it?" Mina suggested. "I'll bet he picked up that pen and said 'I'll write a song that makes everyone really think about life and the universe!'"

Maybeth giggled.

"It's possible!"

Then, suddenly, without warning, Mina pulled Maybeth close to her and looked her in the face.

"You're really pretty when you laugh," she said. Maybeth's face turned a brilliant shade of scarlet.

"M-Mina?!"

"You are...I still remember when you were just Dicey's shy little sister, you always seemed so serious...you've really grown up," Mina whispered.

"...Was it really that long ago?" Maybeth asked.

"Seems like only yesterday."

Then their lips met, and the world as they knew it changed forever. They only pulled back for a second to stare at each other before they kissed again, longer this time.

There was no explanation for this. Destiny certainly hadn't brought them together, and neither of them had even considered this might happen.

"Mina," Maybeth breathed as they drew apart, "w-what did...did we just...?" She couldn't get the words out.

"I can't believe it either. Man, this is so weird...who would've thought I'd be kissing my friend's younger sister?" Mina shook her head, laughing.

"...To be honest, I...I kind of liked it," Maybeth whispered, her face near to burning now. "I always felt intimidated by you, and I should've been really scared by that, but..."

"Yeah, you didn't seem to mind it all that much," Mina said.

"...So now what?" Maybeth asked.

"Well, do you want to just forget this happened and go about our merry ways?"

"I could never forget about this as long as I lived," Maybeth said.

"Me either. So, does this mean we're gonna be an item now or something?" Mina asked.

"...I guess we'll see," Maybeth said. "But Mina, what are we going to tell the others?"

"What?! Maybeth, what happened happened between the two of us, the others don't need to know," Mina said.

"But if we become an item, we can't just keep it a secret! They'll get suspicious when I stop going on dates, and you start coming here all the time!" Maybeth fretted.

"Then we'll tell them. And if they have a problem with it, they'll just have to get over it," Mina said, hugging the girl closer. "Don't worry so much, though. We'll deal with it when it happens."

"...All right." Maybeth smiled, resting her head on the taller girl's shoulder.

They definitely would have a lot to explain to their families later on.

But for right now, it was their little secret.

 


End file.
